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Watauga, Texas

18 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1894 and the latest in 1995. It stands in the Northeast Tarrant census division. It lies in ZIP code area 76148. It stands on Whites Branch. The Survey maps it on the Haltom City quadrangle. 23,650 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 607 feet above sea level.

Watauga within Tarrant County

Population over time

2 figures

Watauga grew from 23,497 to 23,650 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
201023,497
202023,650+153 (+1%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

7 surveys from 18 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

106 since 2005

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 106 fires within 5 miles of Watauga between 2005 and 2020, burning about 261 acres in total. None started naturally. 1 was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined90
Equipment and vehicle use4
Debris and open burning4
Power generation/transmission/distribution2
Smoking2
Misuse of fire by a minor1
Arson/incendiarism1
Railroad operations and maintenance1
Recreation and ceremony1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
3 September 2014Power generation/transmission/distributionunder an acreTexas A & M Forest ServiceDEEN
24 September 2019Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreTexas A & M Forest ServiceWESTERN CENTER
20 September 2019Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreTexas A & M Forest ServiceMISTY RIDGE
14 September 2015Railroad operations and maintenance1.0 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceE LONG
9 August 2014Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreTexas A & M Forest ServiceBASSWOOD
8 August 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreTexas A & M Forest ServiceN BEACH
24 August 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreTexas A & M Forest ServiceHWY 35 S
23 August 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreTexas A & M Forest ServiceMARK IV

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Tarrant County

Mines and quarries near this place

1 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 1 working within 5 miles of Watauga: 1 producer. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Williams Sand and Gravel Midway RdSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer

Every working recorded in Tarrant County

Storms near this place

48 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Watauga in 48 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 25 thunderstorm wind, 18 hail, 3 flash flood, 2 lightning. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 2011Thunderstorm WindWatauga$200,000Seventy to seventy-five MPH winds were estimated along and just north of Loop 820 from Highway 377/Denton Highway to near Holiday Lane. These strong winds damaged several business signs and the roof of a commercial building at Loop 820 and Rufe Snow Drive. Several large trees and power poles were also knocked down along Rufe Snow Drive north of Loop 820. In the neighborhood around Richland Hills High School, many large tree limbs were broken, a few power poles were leaning about 20 degrees, and some trees were either split or knocked down. One tree fell on a house and damaged the roof.
March 2023Thunderstorm WindWatauga$70,000Large sections of metal roofing were peeled off of department store structures. Time was estimated via radar.
March 2023Thunderstorm WindWatauga$60,000Damage was reported to an indoor sporting complex and a warehouse building, including partial loss of metal roofing. A boat and storage trailer were also overturned.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindWatauga$50,000A 67 MPH wind gust was measured at the National Weather Service Office.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindWatauga$50,000Thunderstorm winds blew the roof from a strip shopping center and an industrial building. Thunderstorm winds also downed trees and powerlines.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindWatauga$50,000A carport and patio roof was destroyed, and fences and tree limbs were blown down by thunderstorm winds.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindWatauga$40,000An area of enhanced thunderstorm winds damaged trees and a few homes in North Richland Hills stretching from Dewsbury Street to Richfield Park. The wind speeds are consistent with winds around 70-75 mph. Two homes sustained significant damage when the strong winds pushed the garage doors in, causing damage to the rest of the house. Other scattered tree damage was noted in the remainder of the neighborhood.
April 2011HailWatauga$30,000Hail stones up to the size of ping pong balls fell in Watagua for 15 minutes.
August 2012Thunderstorm WindWatauga$10,000A wind gust of 73 MPH was measured at the Dallas/Fort Worth National Weather Service Forecast Office.
April 2011HailWatauga$10,000Nickel to half dollar size hail fell at the NWS Office in north Fort Worth.
March 2016Thunderstorm WindWatauga$8,000A social media report indicated a 62 MPH wind gust in Watauga.
April 2019Thunderstorm WindWatauga$7,000A 70 MPH wind gust was measured at the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth, TX.
April 2015Thunderstorm WindWatauga$7,000Wind speeds near Hwy 377 and Watauga Road were estimated at 60+ MPH.
March 2016Thunderstorm WindWatauga$5,000The Tarrant Regional Water District's wind anemometer located on a tower at the NWS Fort Worth office measured a 57 mph wind gust.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindWatauga$5,000Peak winds of 59 mph were measured at the Fort Worth NWS Office.
October 1996Flash FloodWatauga$4,000no account filed
October 2011Thunderstorm WindWatauga$3,000A 63 mph wind gust was recorded by the RSOIS equipment at the NWS Fort Worth Forecast Office.
August 2005LightningWatauga$3,000Lightning caused an apartment fire at the 5300 block of Fossil Creek Boulevard.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindWatauga$2,000Broken tree limbs outside the NWS Fort Worth/WGRFC office.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindWatauga$1,000A measured wind gust of 67 MPH occurred at the NWS office in Fort Worth, TX, which produced minor roof damage at the office.
August 2005LightningWatauga$500Lightning split a large tree in half, causing it to fall on and destroy a bench in Buffalo Ridge Park.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindWatauga-Multiple social media reports indicated several trees down along Western Center from Interstate 35 to Beach Street in north Fort Worth.
March 2023Thunderstorm WindWatauga-A 70 mph wind gust was measured at the NWS Fort Worth office.
April 2020HailWatauga-Ping pong ball sized hail was reported at the NWS Fort Worth Office.
April 2020HailWatauga-Quarter sized hail was reported near Basswood Dr. and Teal Dr.
April 2020HailWatauga-Hail report received via mPing.
March 2019HailWatauga-Quarter-sized hail was measured at the National Weather Service office in North Fort Worth, TX.
March 2019HailWatauga-Half dollar sized hail was measured a few miles north of the NWS Fort Worth Office.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindWatauga-A trained spotter estimated a wind gust of 70 MPH approximately 2 miles north-northwest of Haltom City, TX.
April 2018HailWatauga-Amateur radio reported quarter-sized hail in the city of Watauga, TX.
April 2017HailWatauga-Quarter-sized hail was reported at the National Weather Service Office in North Fort Worth.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindWatauga-A 58 MPH wind gust was measured at the NWS office in Fort Worth, TX.
April 2011Thunderstorm WindWatauga-A one foot diameter tree was downed on North Beach St., north of Interstate 820 and south of Fossil Creek Blvd.
May 2011Thunderstorm WindWatauga-A thunderstorm wind gust of 58 MPH was measured at the NWS office in Fort Worth. Trees limbs were broken off just north of the office near Beach Street and Fossil Creek Blvd.
June 2011Thunderstorm WindWatauga-A 58 MPH wind gust was measured at the Weather Forecast Office.
April 2008Flash FloodWatauga-A foot of water was reported at the intersection of Meacham Boulevard and Old Denton Road.
June 2008HailWatauga-Penny to nickel-size hail was reported at the intersection of Highway 377 and Hightower Road.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindWatauga-A 12 inch diameter tree was blown down.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindWatauga-Thunderstorm winds downed trees. No dollar estimate of damage was reported.
April 1994HailWatauga-Quarter-size hail fell in downtown Fort Worth.
April 2011HailWatauga-no account filed
October 2004HailWatauga-no account filed
August 2003HailWatauga-no account filed
July 2003HailWatauga-no account filed
May 2000HailWatauga-no account filed
April 1999HailWatauga-no account filed
March 1998HailWatauga-no account filed
November 1996Flash FloodWatauga-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Tarrant County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
North Richland Hills2.1 miles20
Smithfield2.3 miles20
Richland Hills3.2 miles20
Melody Hills3.5 miles18
Haltom City4.1 miles18
Blue Mound4.5 miles18
Hurst5.1 miles20
Keller5.3 miles16

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on WataugaAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q982228The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1376659. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.

Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.